Remorum: The Grand Story
by shadowsphear21
Summary: A boy embarks on a quest for revenge while unknowingly unlocking his destiny, and meeting alot of cool characters along the way.
1. Dreamer

**Remorum: The Grand Story**  
  
**Note:** I would just like to inform all who read this fiction that I do not hold copyright on any of the non-original characters featured in this story, nor am I affiliated in any way with their creators, sponsors, or any of the other parties affiliated with the previously mentioned characters. I do, however, own copyright on all of my own original characters that are introduced into this story, of which I also hold copyright on. This fiction was only meant for the entertainment of others and is not meant to promote any of the characters, that are not my own, that are introduced into this story.  
  
**PLEASE READ!  
**  
On a less formal note, I would just like to inform all who read this fiction of three things:  
  
**1:** This fiction takes a little while to take off, and you're going to have to be a little patient in order to encounter any characters from other anime.  
  
**2:** Though I don't do it too often (as a matter of fact, scratch that), there are some (a lot of) things about this fiction that I leave to the imagination.  
  
**3:** I hate censorship, so there will be some mild language and suggestive content (Not that I think any of you mind).  
  
**CATACLYSM**  
  
How did it happen? Not even the wisest Wiseman can tell. All that can be said in certainty is that one day, the world changed. Villages and cities disappeared as new, unfamiliar ones took their place. With these towns came beings, men and women, and some beyond either. None of them having any idea of where they were, though they...no ...**_we_**, were all from the same planet, Earth, as if they had all come from another lifetime. But now, this new Earth has become quite unfamiliar to even the oldest of us. Now, only traces of our past remain with us in this mysterious world (More so now than ever).  
  
**DREAMER  
**  
He falls into the darkness, never stopping, never slowing, only falling, deeper into the dark. Only the faces of demons of the past, smiling, laughing menacingly are provided as a means to detour his attention from the gaping shadow beneath him. He continues to fall deeper, deeper, deeper into the abyss until it nearly swallows him. A thought...a thought is all he longed for now. A thought is all he needed and he could finally escape from this hellish place, and then, he woke up.  
  
In the secluded village of Myet, birthplace of the legendary hero, Moore, a young man named Tsi laid awake in his bed, trying to contemplate whether his nightmare was an omen, or just another bad dream. "Ah well," he thought. It would have to wait until later. Tsi got out of bed and got dressed. He wanted to look as impressive as possible today, for today was the day that the village Shaman would dub Tsi a warrior, and he would receive Myet's highest honor, the Blue Dragon Belt.  
  
Tsi settled in front of his mirror to give himself one last look. The first thing he examined was his hair. It was long, spiky, laid back, almost too well for its length, buzzed on the sides and the back of his head, and the rest was tied into a short, spiky ponytail. The next thing he looked over was his outfit, a black muscle shirt tucked into his black pants with the legs tucked into his black boots. He was also wearing a pair of black wristbands and a black sash around his waist that would be replaced after receiving his belt at the ceremony that night.  
  
Tsi turned his head and noticed how the light made his eyes gleam for a moment. His eyes are sapphire-blue and for some reason are devoid of pupils. Seeing that glimmer made him remember many of the times he was teased about them when he was young, but even then it still didn't bother him to any noticeable extent.  
  
After briefly lingering on the thought, Tsi then shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. "Time to get going," he said to himself, and after what seemed like a long walk through his empty house, he was outside.  
  
Tsi has lived alone since he was about thirteen. Now seventeen, he has completed his 4 years of training in the mystic art of Terria, and will go on a pilgrimage to hone his skills the day after his ceremony. But for right now, Tsi had decided to take one more day of training with his friends before he had to leave.  
  
It was a beautiful day in the mountain village of Myet. The skies were blue, the sun was shining brightly, people were on the move, working hard to prepare for the ceremony while their children laughed and played games with one another. Tsi, after receiving many greetings from the town's people, made his way to the outskirts of the village and into the forest where the other Terrians were training. There, he met up with his best friend, Gill.  
  
"Well what do you know," said Gill in a surprised tone, "What are you doin' here, Tsi? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your pilgrimage tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah," replied Tsi, smiling, "but I figured I'd give you guys one last beating before the ceremony."  
  
"Really now?" said another Terrian with a smug look on his face, "Aren't you worried you'll get that cute little outfit of yours dirty?"  
  
Tsi laughed and replied, "Yeah right. As if any of you slackers were good enough that I'd get this outfit dirty."  
  
Gill smiled and said, "Well I guess we'll just have to see then, won't we guys?" and the two, Tsi and Gill, stood across from one another.  
  
The rest of the young Terrians cheered as Gill and Tsi brought their hands to their swords and drew. The two young warriors stood as still as the mountain of which they live upon. The judge of the duel shouted, "Begin!" and the two fighters had at each other.  
  
Tsi struck first with a sideways slash, and his sword was met by that of Gill as the young fighter attempted a reversal maneuver. Tsi dodged the first slash and countered the second with not a moment to spare. As the two friends dueled, they pit everything they knew against one another. A blazing spark flew from their swords each time they met, symbolizing each one's burning desire to win. The two young fighters fought with all their heart, never hesitating, never faltering, one action preceding another in an endless cycle of skill and determination.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of battle, Gill threw too much of his weight to his side while dodging an attack from Tsi. Tsi noticed this, and in a moment's time, Tsi's sword was at the base of Gill's neck, and the duel ended with Tsi as the winner.  
  
After the judge announced Tsi's victory, both Tsi and Gill sheathed their swords and bowed to one another.  
  
"And you still didn't get dirty," said Gill.  
  
Tsi replied, "Nope," and then laughed. 


	2. Celebration

**CELEBRATION**  
  
As the stars lit the night sky over the mountain village of Myet, its people were gathered in unison to celebrate a boy's passing into manhood. Tsi now stood before a grand stage built specifically for him by all of his friends living with him in his simple, little mountain village. He looked on to see the village Shaman as well as his best friend, Gill. Gill was holding a pillow in his hands that Tsi's Blue Dragon Belt was being displayed upon in all its glory. Tsi feasted his eyes on the prize that he had trained so hard for, and could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride.  
  
The majestic torches, held high above the heads of those who gathered to witness Tsi receive his prize, were lit in order leading to the front of the stage, and the people cheered as Tsi began stepping toward it. Tsi tried his best to keep a straight face, but there was no one that couldn't tell that he was feeling very proud of himself as he stepped up to the village Shaman. Tsi knelt down on one knee, and bowed his head.  
  
"My dearest people of Myet," the Shaman began, "it was only one short month ago that we all gathered in this very same spot to witness many of our young Terrians compete in a tournament of skill and determination. We all felt a great deal of pride to see these young fighters show their immense skill in the heat of battle, and to know that we were blessed with such fine fighters. Many of our Terrians, some of them being our own flesh and blood, entered these battles and gave everything they had, but only one was able to emerge from the tournament truly victorious. Tonight, that young man kneels before me, and I now have the honor, no, the privilege, to send him out into the world, knowing what great things he will do."  
  
Tsi lifted his head as the village Shaman spoke to him.  
  
"Tsi," the Shaman began, "stand before me, my friend, and receive Myet's highest honor."  
  
Tsi stood up as the village Shaman turned to Gill and took the belt from the pillow he was holding.  
  
The Shaman turned to Tsi and said, "It gives me great pleasure to bestow the Terrian warrior, Tsi, with Myet's highest honor, the crest of the legendary hero, Moore, the prime goal of all Terrian fighters, the Blue Dragon Belt."  
  
All of the people cheered as Tsi and the Shaman bowed to one another, and the Shaman, with a proud smile on his face, handed Tsi his Blue Dragon Belt. Tsi looked down at the shimmering blue belt. He closely examined every curve in the body of the dragon that was engraved into the belt, and he thought, "I've finally done it. After all those years and all of my hard work, I finally have it, the Blue Dragon Belt."  
  
The Shaman lifted his hands and the audience quieted down. The Shaman then said, "Tomorrow, Tsi will leave our village of Myet to begin his pilgrimage, so that he may sharpen his body and his mind. How long he is gone is only determined by how long it will take him to discover his full potential."  
  
The Shaman looked at Tsi and said, "Tsi, before you go, know that you will be missed by all of us here in Myet, and that we all look forward to your return as a warrior in his prime."  
  
Again, everyone in the village cheered for Tsi, clapping and whistling. Then the Shaman raised his hands once more and in a loud voice he said, "Let the feast begin!"  
  
The people cheered once more, and with that, the feast...well...began. 


	3. Tragedy

**T****RAGEDY**

As the crowds receded and the village settled into sleep, Tsi, sitting on his windowsill, looked up at the night sky. Looking at the stars comforted him. It let him take his mind off of his training and reminisce upon all of the fond memories he kept with him while living in that little village of Myet. It reminded him of the times when he used to live at the orphanage, the stories he heard of his parents, and the day he began living on his own. He liked to dwell on these memories. They put him at ease whenever he felt sad or lonely, and they comforted and cradled him until his soul was entirely at peace.

After taking one last look at the stars, Tsi turned his head to check his clock.

"11:30," he calmly said to himself, "Time to get to bed."

As Tsi lay there in his bed, he looked out of his window and could see the moon. He had heard many stories about the moon and how its powers were supposed to be as mysterious as the moon itself. He had always wondered if the stories he heard were true. As Tsi gazed at the moon, he could feel himself drifting away. He kept a very watchful eye on the shining sphere before him until his eyes became too heavy to keep open, and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

There's so much light. An entire world illuminated in a soft, pale glow. A child runs toward two silhouettes basking in the light.

"Mommy! Daddy!" the child calls.

"Here, Tsi!" his mother calls.

"Over here son!" adds his father.

The child runs toward the two silhouettes, smiling, laughing as he goes.

"Come on sweetie! Come to Mommy!" says his, holding her arms out wide.

The child still runs to his parents, never missing a step. He nearly reaches them, and then suddenly, an enormous fire engulfs the two in a great blaze. The child watches in horror as the they burn amidst the flames, able to do nothing but listen to the screams of his two burning loved ones. The boy screams in terror, and finally, Tsi awakens from his dream.

"No!" Tsi shouted as he sat up in his bed. Tsi looked down at his hands as they gripped the covers. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Relax," he said to himself, "it was only a dream."

Tsi slowly climbed out of his bed, went to his window, and looked up at the stars.

"Mom, Dad," he began, "I wish I could remember you. I've heard so many stories about you guys from the Shaman, but… I just wish that… I just wish you could've been there today."

Tsi looked up into the night sky and thought, "I wonder if they're watching me right now."

Tsi's thoughts were abruptly interrupted, however, as an enormous explosion erupted from the town square.

"What the Hell!" exclaimed Tsi as he saw the village instantly ignite.

Tsi quickly retrieved his sword from his bedside, leaped from his second-floor window and dashed toward the burning houses immediately after landing. As he came to the source of the chaos, Tsi encountered a badly wounded Terrian crawling on the ground.

"Noah!" Tsi called out as he bent down to hear the wounded Terrian, "Noah, what happened to you?"

Noah could not speak, for he was already near death. All he could do before dying in Tsi's arms was point toward the flames. Tsi looked into the inferno and witnessed a terrible sight. The villagers were being attacked and killed by a vicious horde of demons as the rest of the Terrians tried to hold them off. He saw his companions being slaughtered by these creatures and a great rage began to run through his blood.

Suddenly, a demon with a murderous look in its eyes leapt from the flames and set its sights on Tsi, screaming madly as it attempted to pounce on him. Its body was covered in black scales, it stood on all-fours, and spines lined it's shoulders, and down its back to the end of its tail, decreasing in size as they grew closer to the tip of the tail. The demon also had two long, curved horns protruding from its skull, many razor-sharp teeth, and blank, golden eyes that seemed to only harbor a savage hatred.

Tsi quickly unsheathed his sword as he charged toward his opponent. He leaped into the air, and with a furious look in his eyes, decapitated the demon with a single slash of his katana.

Tsi looked around anxiously to see if there were any other demons preparing to attack him, but instead caught eye of his friend, Gill. Gill was fighting off a small group of demons in the distance. Tsi was about to call to his fellow Terrian, when he noticed a movement in the flames behind Gill.

Tsi shouted out, "Gill!" but Gill could not hear him.

"Dammit!" exclaimed Tsi as he ran toward the flames with his sword in hand,

"Oh no" he continued, "I'm not going to make it!"

Tsi made one last attempt to reach his friend, "Gill! Behind you!"

No sooner did the cry escape Tsi's lips that another demon leaped from the flames toward the young fighter, Gill. Gill heard the cries of his friend, and without a single moment to spare, turned to his backside, and drove the blade of his katana through the top of the demons mouth and out through the top of its skull. He rolled onto his back, gave the demon a kick to its chest, and sent it flying off of his sword.

Tsi, relieved, came to Gill's side.

"Gill," he said, "what's going on? What happened here?"

"Not a clue," answered Gill, "all we know is that there was an explosion and now the place is crawling with demons."

Gill's attention quickly shifted to something above Tsi. He shouted, "Watch out!" and Tsi quickly turned around to find another demon airborne over his head. Tsi immediately took to his sword, leaped into the air, and as he landed, so did the two halves of the demon's body. Tsi and Gill stood ready, back-to-back.

"Where are they all coming from?" asked Gill.

"This is bad," responds Tsi, nervously, "we're surrounded."

Indeed they were. An eight-demon circle began to slowly close in on the two Terrians. Gill looked around and saw that all of his fellow Terrians had been killed by the demon horde.

"We're the last one's, Tsi," said Gill as he turned his head toward Tsi, "any ideas?"

Tsi made a low growl before answering, "Half for you, half for me, I guess."

Gill smiled and replied, "Right."

The demons surrounding them were now no more than a sword's length away from the two fighters. Suddenly, as the demons were clearly preparing to pounce, they all hesitated, and then backed off. They moved their heads around as if they were searching for something, and then they scuttled away into the burning village.

"What happened?" asked Gill.

"I don't know," answered Tsi, "but they looked like… they were scared."

"Scared?" asked Gill, "What could possibly be gruesome enough that it would scare those monsters?"

Gill's question was answered immediately when both he and Tsi heard a deep growl come from within the bonfire burning next to them. They tried to see through the blaze in hopes to discover what was making that horrid sound, and they did. The two warriors looked on in aw, as slowly, sinisterly rising from the flames was a creature the likes of which they had never seen. It hissed loudly as it set its sights on the two youths.

The beast greatly resembled the demons that Tsi and Gill were fighting earlier, except for its size must have been at least fifty times that of the other demons and the protrusions on its body were much more exaggerated. Tsi and Gill would also find that, unlike its smaller counterparts, this demon could breathe fire.

Both Tsi and Gill, jumping in opposite directions, dodged the first fireball just before it landed. The demon turned its attention to Gill and attempted to crush him with its massive tail. Gill dodged the attack and saw the earth shatter beneath the demon's tail as it was slammed into the ground. Tsi shouted out to the demon, "Hey! Dragon breath!" and the demon made another loud hiss as it quickly turned its head toward Tsi. No sooner did the demon lock its gaze on Tsi did the Terrian warrior slash the air before him, emitting a blur of sheer force from the blade of his katana. Though his attack was a direct hit, the demon remained unshaken.

"What!?" exclaimed Tsi as the demon opened its mouth and shot another fireball from it. Though Tsi could not dodge the attack in time, the fireball still did not strike him, for his friend, Gill had intervened to take the attack in Tsi's place. Gill was blown backwards into Tsi's body by the impact and it sent both of the two fighters flying. Both were slammed into the ground as they landed.

"Gill!" shouted Tsi as he sat up, but he could not tend to his friend, for the demon was attempting another attack with its tail. Tsi took hold of Gill as he leaped into the air in order to dodge the attack and placed his friend on the ground after landing. He armed his sword, and then turned to the demon.

"Gill," said Tsi, "can you still fight?"

Gill's voice was strained as he answered, "Sorry, Tsi. He hit me pretty hard."

"It's alright," replied Tsi, "you just rest my friend. I'll take it from here."

As Tsi ran toward the demon, sounding his battle cry, the demon shot another fireball from its mouth. Tsi countered the attack with the blade of his sword, but to his great dismay, it seemed as though the demon may really had been too strong as Tsi witnessed his blade come in contact with the demon's fireball, and then shatter. Tsi was knocked off his feet and onto his back.

"Oh no," said Tsi as he looked at his broken sword. He didn't know how he was going to defeat this demon without a weapon, and as he tried to contemplate a plan, that same demon had already launched another fiery attack his way. By the time it caught Tsi's eye, it was too late. There was no way he could dodge the attack in time. As Tsi looked up into the hellfire that would surely seal his fate, only a single thought was able to enter his mind, "No."

Suddenly, as the demon's fireball nearly hit its target, it exploded, and a bright flash of light, forcing Tsi to shield his eyes, took its place. Tsi lowered his arms to discover a strange Broadsword emitting a radiant glow suspended in the air before him. Tsi took to his feet, and then slowly reached out to take the sword. As his hands gripped its handle, a single word, without any thought or provocation, escaped Tsi's lips, "Stratos."

Though Tsi would have liked to try and contemplate what was happening, there was no time, for the demon had started toward Tsi, the ground shaking beneath its feet. It opened its mouth and attempted to capture Tsi in its enormous jaws. Tsi dodged to the side of the demon's head, looked it in the eye for no more than a moment, and then took his sword to it. The demon screamed in pain as its blood spouted from its eye. It reared up, and the very earth quaked as it fell onto its back.

Though Tsi obviously had other things to worry about, he couldn't help but notice how unbelievably light the sword was.

The wounded Gill looked on at the battle. "Tsi…" he said, astounded, "this is unreal."

The demon struggled back onto its feet. It directed a furious look at Tsi with the one eye it had left and hissed at him. The demon launched another fireball at Tsi and the blood running down the side of its face was blown off of the demon's black skin by the sheer force of the attack. Tsi slashed the air with his sword, emitting another wave of energy. The two opponent's attacks collided and dissipated simultaneously.

The demon then attacked again with its tail. Tsi jumped up onto the demons tail and began to run along its back. When he got up to the demons head, Tsi looked into the remaining eye of his opponent and firmly said, "You lose."

Tsi then lifted his sword and drove it into the top of the demons skull. A bright light shot from the wound as the demon screamed and thrashed wildly. The demon let out one last roar, and then finally fell to the ground, dead.

Tsi, his opponent defeated, turned to his friend Gill, but had no time to tend to his wounded comrade. As soon as Tsi turned his back on the fallen demon, he heard a voice come from behind him.

"Well done, Terrian," said the voice.

Tsi turned around and saw no one there.

Gill shouted, "Tsi, above you!" and Tsi looked up to see a masked being wearing a bone-white, hooded cloak with torn edges, suspended high above him.

"So, your name is Tsi, is it?" said the hooded man, "Quite impressive that a mere boy such as you could slay a demon of this caliber. However, I'm afraid you will not have such luck while fighting me."

Tsi armed his sword and addressed the hooded man.

"Who are you!?" he asked, but the hooded man said nothing. Instead, he took one hand out from underneath his cloak.

Tsi thought to himself, "What's he up to?"

Then, suddenly, a small light took the shape of a sphere in the hooded man's hand. A single strobe flashed from it, and then a blurred wave of force, so powerful that it smothered the very flames that had engulfed nearly half the village, bombarded the two warriors. This wave made an unbearable, gut-wrenching sound as it shattered the earth beneath Tsi's feet.

Tsi cried out in pain as the waves of energy crashed down upon him. As hard as he tried to resist, it was no use. His body became heavy, his muscles grew week, the sheer power of the attack completely overwhelmed him, and then finally, Tsi passed out.


	4. Recession

**RECESSION  
**  
The Terrian warrior, Tsi sits under a tall tree in a lush, green field that stretches out as far as the eye could see. The light breeze blows over the grass, making it move in a wave-like pattern. Tsi lifts his new sword and points it toward the clear, blue sky. This sword helped him win the battle with the giant demon that attacked Myet, and Tsi looks up at it with the curiosity of a child. He wonders where it came from, how it got to him, why it waited till now. Then Tsi hears a sound coming from behind him and looks back to see. It's the village Shaman, and he's smiling. He walks over to Tsi's side and looks out into the open fields.  
  
"Tsi," the old Shaman begins, "that sword that you now hold in your hands gave you the power to win a fight you could not of won on your own. Do you know what kind of a weapon it is, Tsi?"  
  
Tsi answers, "The sword, Stratos."  
  
The Shaman responds, "That is correct. The sword, Stratos is a legendary weapon, wielded through the ages by only a chosen few."  
  
"Was this sword wielded by the hero, Moore as well?" asks Tsi.  
  
"Yes it was," answers the Shaman.  
  
"How is it that I know all this?" Tsi asks the Shaman.  
  
The Shaman responds, "Because now you are the wielder of the sword, Stratos, Tsi. Stratos has chosen only three others before you, and now, it is your time to lead the world into its new era."  
  
"New era?" Tsi asks.  
  
"Yes," the Shaman continues, "You see, Tsi, the sword, Stratos has the power to bring great prosperity, or great ruin. The other three warriors that wielded Stratos before you, the first led the world into the light of piece and good will. The second, led the world into an age of darkness, where chaos ruled and destruction plagued the land. The third, the hero, Moore, led the world out of the darkness and back into the light. Now, it is your time, young Tsi, to wield the sword, Stratos, find your destiny and lead the world into its new age. Whether that age takes us back into the darkness, or further into the light, that will be entirely up to you."  
  
"Why was I chosen for this?" asks Tsi.  
  
"That, I cannot tell you," the Shaman answers, "that is something you are going to have to discover on your own. But be wary, Tsi. Though your destiny may be yours to find, that does not mean that the decisions you make while seeking it cannot be influenced by outside forces. No matter what path you choose, it will always intersect with that of another and when that happens, you will have to make a choice. Make sure that you never lose sight of your goal as you seek out your destiny and you will always find your way."  
  
Tsi looks blankly out into the fields as he listens to the Shaman's words. The Shaman looks down at Tsi and continues.  
  
"Tsi," he begins, "what is it that you wish to do now that you have found some of the answers you sought?"  
  
"Well," answers Tsi, "Myet's been destroyed. I certainly can't stay there. Technically, I still have a pilgrimage to embark on, so maybe I'll start there and see where that takes me."  
  
The Shaman narrows his gaze.  
  
"Well then..." he says, and then, without warning, the Shaman grabs Tsi by his shirt, lifts him up, and with a furious look in his eyes shouts, "Wake up you fool!"  
  
Tsi's eyes shot open as soon as he heard the Shaman's below. He quickly sat up and realized that he was not well as his entire body spasms in pain. Tsi forced himself onto his feet, and as he looked around himself, he was nearly brought to tears. The happy little mountain village, once known as Myet, laid in ruins under a blackened sky. Everything had been destroyed by the demon horde. Tsi walked through his home village with an unbearable pain in his heart as he looked on to see the people he once knew dead on the ground, mothers lying next to their children as they were crushed under the wreckage of their homes, and his old orphanage, scorched, broken, and laid entirely to waste. There was absolutely nothing left of the village that Tsi, for his entire life, had called home.  
  
Tsi tried to get a hold of himself.  
  
"Maybe..." he thought, "maybe they're not all dead."  
  
Tsi made his best effort to summon a shout. "Gill!" he cried out, and to Tsi's relief, he was answered. He could hear Gill's voice, off to his right, calling out to him.  
  
"Tsi..." Gill faintly called as he lifted his hand out from underneath the debris.  
  
Tsi caught eye of his friend and held his side as he tried to run over to him. Once there, Tsi cleared off the debris to find Gill covered in blood. The young Terrian had been badly wounded and was bleeding rapidly. Tsi looked at the gash in Gill's side and tried his best to stop the bleeding. He ripped off what was left of his shirt, placed it on top of the wound, along with Gill's hand, and held it there. Tsi also propped Gill's head up onto his knee, making him sit up. As he did, Gill coughed violently and blood could be seen spurting from his mouth. Tsi couldn't help but wonder if his friend was going to make it.  
  
Gill lifted his head and looked at Tsi.  
  
"Tsi," he began, his voice strained, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."  
  
Tsi replied, "It's okay, you did all that you could, Gill. We all did, so don't be sorry."  
  
"I know," Gill said, "but that's not why... I'm sorry... for leaving you alone."  
  
Tsi's eyes began to tear up as he spoke, "Come on, Gill, don't talk like that. I'm not going to let you die, not like this."  
  
Gill replied, "It's ok. I don't mind. Because at least I'm not alone. At least you're with me. With you here, my friend, dying doesn't seem so scary anymore."  
  
Tsi could barely control his voice, "Gill... Gill please... please, don't die."  
  
Gill's breathing became narrow as he said, "Don't cry, Tsi. You'll be all right. I believe in you. I always have."  
  
Gill looked up into the sky, widened his eyes, and smiled.  
  
"Oh," Gill said, "Tsi, look, it's my parents. They've come to see me. I'm so glad they're here. Can you see them... Tsi? Can you..."  
  
And at that moment, Gills hand loosened its grip, his breath drew short, and with a smile still left on his face, he passed away.  
  
Tsi couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. He had no reason to. He held his head low, hugged his lost friend, and with a heart full of sorrow, started to cry.  
  
Then, as if to ease his pain, the sword, Stratos appeared before Tsi once again. Tsi reached out and took the sword, and when he did, could feel his vitality return to him.  
  
Tsi wiped away his tears and stood up. He looked down on Gill's body and said, "I promise you, Gill, I'm going to find whoever did this and make them pay for it. Your death, nor those of any of the others who once lived in this village, will not be in vain, I swear it."  
  
Tsi looked at his sword and gave it a silent command. Then, an elongated series of sparks stretched diagonally across Tsi's back, and then a sheath appeared in their place. Tsi sheathed the sword, Stratos, and then looked out onto a clearing that was spread out next to the orphanage.  
  
He said to himself, "That's where I will bury them," and then picked his friend's body up off of the ground and carried him over to the clearing.  
  
All night Tsi endured the pain of loss as he scoured the entire village, gathering its lost people, burying them, planting grave markers, and praying for them. He never once stopped to rest until the light of dawn turned the night sky red.  
  
With the last villager buried, and his last prayer said, Tsi looked out into the surrounding mountains. He decided to head east toward the town of Loru. He only hoped that it hadn't been attacked as well.  
  
Tsi found a still usable carrying case and filled it with what little provisions he could find. He then stood at the end of the village, and looked back onto the silent wasteland that was once known as Myet. Tsi began to remember his entire life in that quiet little village, the day he began his training as a Terrian, the games he played with the other children when he was living at the orphanage, his first kiss, everything, and now it was all gone. That thought overwhelmed Tsi, and he shed a single tear. He wiped it away, turned around, stood silent for one last moment, and then began his long journey East. 


	5. Traveler

**TRAVELER  
**  
In the town of Loru, there are many buildings, some tall, some short. There are also many houses, and the Mayor's house that stood tallest of all deep within the town, all of it surrounded by lush forests and tall, beautiful rock formations. Loru is also the hometown of Mina Cheng, a sixteen year- old girl living with her father and her younger brother, Shu in a little house outside of the town's main structure.  
  
Mina usually liked to spend her days around the house. Her father was becoming old, and he wasn't able to take care of himself as well as he used to. But although she was the only one in her household capable of keeping things organized, she liked the way things were.  
  
Mina was a very sweet girl. Whenever she could make the time, she was always trying to help someone. The town's children loved her, and there wasn't a single man in town that wouldn't kill to be with her. She was kind, responsible and very beautiful. With long, black hair and deep blue eyes that shone more brilliantly than the purest sapphire. There was no questioning why so many people loved her.  
  
On a beautiful day in Loru, the town's people were buzzing about over the news received three days ago that the village of Myet had been destroyed. Because they were the closest town to Myet, many of the people living there were very worried about their safety.  
  
Mina was at Mori, the herb and produce seller's shop today to get some strawberries for a cake she planned on baking that night. Mori was speaking with another customer about the recent news.  
  
Mori was a short man with a large belly, dark gray skin, and the head of a walrus. He was also very muscular and most people wondered why he was into produce. But all in all, he was a friendly old man. He would give free food to those who were poor, and medicine to those who were sick. He was also a long-time friend of Mina and her family.  
  
Mori had a deep, bellowing voice when he spoke.  
  
"So how have you been as of late, Maya?" asked Mori.  
  
"Oh, I've just been so worried lately Mori," answered Maya, sighing "this whole thing about Myet has me so shaken up, I can barely sleep at night. I don't want my children to ever have to experience such an awful thing."  
  
Mina stepped up to the counter and set her basket full of strawberries on it.  
  
"You know Maya," Mina began, "I highly doubt that we would become victim to such an attack, even if we are the closest thing to Myet."  
  
Maya responded, "How can you be so sure? Even on foot, it would only take about three or four days to reach Loru from Myet."  
  
Mina answered, "That might be true, but think about it, there aren't many towns besides us that even know about Myet, let alone want to attack it. We're known by many other districts for our rich mineral resources and our beautiful surroundings. If someone attacked us, it would make much more sense. But whoever attacked Myet not only went to the great trouble of finding it, but also must have had a much more complex reason for attacking it. After all, Myet has almost nothing to offer to anyone except for the Terrian warriors."  
  
"That's right," included Mori, "and even then, Myet isn't the only place with a Terrian living in its limits, and there hasn't been any other strange attacks before or since then. Whoever attacked that village must have had a much deeper reason than something as materiel as getting rich."  
  
Maya sighed in relief as she said, "Maybe you're right. Thanks you two, your both such good people."  
  
"No need to thank us," said Mina.  
  
"Yeah, think nothing of it, ma'am," added Mori.  
  
"By the way, Mina," Mori continued as Maya left the store, "How's your father doing? Him and I haven't spoken in quite a while."  
  
"Oh, you know Papa," answered Mina, "stubborn as always."  
  
Mori laughed as he replied, "I hear that. Poor old guy not wanting to feel his age?"  
  
"Yeah," answered Mina, "I know he doesn't want to retire, but this just isn't a fit lifestyle for him anymore. The man is going to be fifty-seven in a couple of days and he's done absolutely nothing but work in the mines all his life. I understand that he wants to take care of us, but if he keeps this up, he's going to burn himself out."  
  
"Mm, hmm," said Mori, sternly, "I know. We walans live a lot longer than you humans do, so I can't exactly say that I know how your father feels. But, if I were in his place, I imagine that I'd probably feel the same way."  
  
"It's been hard for him to bring himself to relax since Mom died," said Mina, "I can sometimes hear him talk to her in his sleep. I betch'a she could get him to hang up his hat and come home."  
  
"Yeah," said Mori, "no doubt about it, your Mother was an amazing woman. Some would swear that that girl was a genuine gift from God. Frankly, I agree with them."  
  
Mina replied, "I know my dad loves us, but it's just not necessary for him to work so hard anymore."  
  
"I know," said Mori, "Keep trying, Mina. That's all you can do. You have your Mother's spirit in you. If anyone can bring your father to his senses, you can."  
  
Both Mori and Mina smiled at one another.  
  
"Thanks, Mori," said Mina. "Ah," replied Mori, spreading his arms out wide, "just get over here and give me a hug, squirt."  
  
Mina and Mori both bent over the counter and gave each other a nice, big hug.  
  
Mina stood up and asked, "So how much for the strawberries, Mori?"  
  
Mori answered, "Ah, take 'em. It's been real slow here today anyway."  
  
"Oh," replied Mina, "Well thank you."  
  
"Nah. Here, give this to your brother," said the walan, tossing a Mango toward Mina, "and tell your father I said hi."  
  
Mina responded, "Thank you, I will."  
  
They both say goodbye, and Mina heads off for home.  
  
Mina had a little time to spare, so she decided to take the scenic route home. She loved it when she got the chance to take this route. She enjoyed watching the waterfalls run off of the steep, blackened rock patterns and listening to the sounds that accompanied such scenery. But most of all, Mina enjoyed this route because it reminded her of her Mother. She and her Mother used to always walk together along this route. They would talk about everything here because this was their private place to go. This route was the place that Mina found out that she was going to be a big sister, the place she was told about 'the birds and the bees', and the place that she learned how to say 'spaghetti'. Mina sometimes wondered what other things they would have talked about on this route if her Mother were still alive. It had been three years since she passed away, and there wasn't a single day that Mina didn't miss her.  
  
However, Mina was going to have to put her memories off to the side, for as she came off of her route, she was astounded to discover the Terrian warrior, Tsi lying unconscious on the ground. He was dirty, his clothes were tattered, and his entire body was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises.  
  
Mina gasped at the sight of the young warrior and kneeled down to check his pulse.  
  
"He's alive," she said, relieved.  
  
She was wondering how she was going to help him. She couldn't possibly go back to town, it was much too far, and it would be getting dark soon. She decided to go to her house, seeing as it was much closer.  
  
"I'll be right back," she said, and as she began to run off, she turned and said sarcastically to Tsi, "Don't go anywhere, ok?" and then continued quickly back to her house.  
  
When Mina got home, her brother, Shu was there to greet her. But in her hurry she passed him up without even acknowledging him.  
  
Shu shot a glare at his sister and said, "Gee, happy to see you, too," in a plain voice.  
  
Mina didn't notice him for she was trying to locate their wheelbarrow and couldn't find it.  
  
She then turned to her brother and asked him, "Shu, do you know where the wheelbarrow is?"  
  
Shu answered, "That's what I was trying to tell you when you completely ignored me. I made it into a pirate ship. Do you wanna see?"  
  
Mina gave her brother the lazy eye and asked, "Why don't you just tell me where it is."  
  
Shu looked off into the distance and pointed.  
  
"I put it up on that tall hill," he said, "I wanted to wait 'till you got home before I set sail."  
  
Mina's face took on a frustrated look and a giant sweat drop appeared over her head. She then, with her eyes closed and an angry look on her face as well as a cross-vein symbol on the side of her forehead, grabbed the back of her brother's shirt and dragged him along while she walked back down the road.  
  
Shu, confused, asked Mina, "Hey! Sis, where are we going?"  
  
Mina answered, "Since you ruined my first idea, you're going to help me with my new one."  
  
The two siblings came to find Tsi still unconscious, Mina being thankful that he was still there.  
  
"Whoa!" exclaimed the young Shu as his sister stood over Tsi's head, "Who the heck is this guy, Mina?"  
  
"I don't know," answered Mina.  
  
"What do you mean, **_'you don't know'_**?" asked Shu.  
  
Mina bent down and placed her hands under Tsi's shoulders.  
  
"Grab his feet," she ordered.  
  
"Grab his feet!?" exclaimed the younger sibling, "Mina, you can't possibly be thinking of taking this guy to our house? We don't even know him! He might be dangerous, and he's got a sword!"  
  
Mina then looked up at her brother.  
  
"He needs our help, Shu," she explained, "We can't just leave him here."  
  
The look on Shu's face shifted from surprised, to panicky.  
  
"C'mon, sis," he began, "shouldn't we at least let Dad know first?"  
  
Mina hoisted Tsi's torso up on her arms.  
  
"Are you going to help me, or not!?" she shouted.  
  
"Oh," wined Shu, "Alright, but if Dad blows a gasket, your on your own."  
  
Both Shu and Mina took to an end of Tsi's body and carried him back to their house. Their father was waiting for them when they got there and he was very relieved to see them.  
  
"Mina! Shu!" he called to them, "I'm so glad you're both safe. I was beginning to worry..."  
  
The old man paused as he noticed that they were carrying someone.  
  
"What!?" he exclaimed, "Mina, who is this boy?"  
  
Mina answered, "I don't know, he was unconscious when I found him."  
  
Her father then asked, "Well then why did you bring him here?"  
  
Mina continued, "He's been hurt, and it would've been sundown by the time we got him to town."  
  
Her father then said as his two children carried Tsi into the house, "Well you could have at least told me beforehand."  
  
Then Shu said to his father, "That's exactly what I told her, Dad."  
  
Mina ignored the remark.  
  
"Here," she said, "put him on the couch for now."  
  
Mina and Shu set Tsi down on their couch as their father called Mori on the telephone. Mina went to the kitchen, came back, and then sat next to Tsi with a bowl of water and a towel.  
  
She then asked her brother, "Shu, could you go get the disinfectant for me?"  
  
Shu replied, "Got it," and then ran off.  
  
Her father then walked into the room as Mina was rinsing off Tsi's arm and told her, "Mori's going to be here soon with something to help our friend."  
  
Mina responded, "Good. If anybody can help, he can."  
  
Shu then came back with a bottle in his hand.  
  
"Here you go," he said, handing the bottle to Mina. She thanked him, and then poured some of the disinfectant on the end of the towel.  
  
As soon as Mina pressed the towel to Tsi's arm, Tsi immediately woke up, shot off the top of the couch and up into the air, shouting, "Owwwww! That stings! That stings! That stings! That stings! That stings! That stings! That stings!"  
  
The entire family was startled at Tsi's outburst. Tsi landed sitting upright on the couch, grabbing his arm.  
  
"What'd you do that for!?" he asked, loudly enough that it made Mina flinch.  
  
"I'm sorry," she answered, "I was just wanted to make sure that your wounds didn't get infected."  
  
Tsi's face took on a remorseful look as he said, "Sorry I yelled."  
  
Tsi looked curiously around the room before asking shyly, "Could you please tell me where I am?"  
  
Mina answered, "Your in the town of Loru. You were unconscious when I found you. My brother and I brought you here after that."  
  
"Then," Tsi began, "may I ask who you all are?"  
  
Shu then stood up and smiled as he introduced himself.  
  
"My name's Shu Cheng," he said, "and I'm the youngest. Nice to meetch'a."  
  
Mina then smiled at Tsi.  
  
"And I'm Mina," she said to him, "Our father has called someone to bring something for your wounds."  
  
Shu addressed Tsi and asked him, "Who are you, mister?"  
  
Tsi looked forward and lowered his gaze.  
  
"My name is Tsi," he said, "and I come from the village of Myet, or at least what's left of it."  
  
Everyone gasped in surprise.  
  
"But wasn't Myet destroyed a few days ago?" asked Mina's father.  
  
"Yes," answered Tsi, "Three days ago, it was attacked and destroyed by a horde of demons that burned it to the ground."  
  
Mina took on a sad face as she said, "That's awful."  
  
"My fellow Terrians and I tried to fight them off," continued Tsi, "but we were outmatched. They all fell victim to the demon horde, and now I'm the only one left."  
  
"You're a Terrian?" asked Shu.  
  
"Yes," answered Tsi, his face making him look as if he was about to cry.  
  
The entire family looked at Tsi and couldn't help but feel sorry for him.  
  
"Poor guy," Mina thought to herself.  
  
Tsi's hand then moved from his arm to his knee and his eyes took on a hateful look.  
  
"I was knocked unconscious during the battle," explained Tsi, "and by the time I woke up, it was already over. I gathered up what little supplies I could find and came here on foot. I'm now on a quest to seek out whoever did this to my village and pay them back for it."  
  
Though she didn't know this man, after seeing the hatred in Tsi's gaze, Mina couldn't help but believe his story.  
  
Everyone was startled by a loud knock on the front door. Shu got up and said, "I'll get it." He opened the door to reveal Mori with a carrying case hoisted over his shoulder.  
  
"Hello everyone," said Mori with a smile.  
  
"Hi, Mori," said the young, Shu, "How are you?"  
  
"I'm quite alright, Shu," answered Mori, "I see you've grown since last I saw you."  
  
Shu answered, "Yep," and then laughed.  
  
"Mori, my old friend," said Shu's father as he spread his arms out to hug Mori.  
  
As they hugged, Mori laughed and asked him, "How have you been old man?"  
  
"Old man?" replied Mina's father, "Why I'm as fit as I was ten years ago."  
  
Mori smiled at him and said sarcastically, "Yeah, I bet," and then they both laughed.  
  
"I hope it wasn't too dark out there for you, Mori," said Mina.  
  
"Are you kidding?" replied Mori, "I've known the way to your house by heart ever since before you were born, squirt."  
  
Tsi looked curiously at Mori. This was the fist time he had ever seen a walan up close.  
  
"I hope I wasn't a burden to you, sir," said Tsi.  
  
"Not at all," answered Mori, "I like getting out of the neighborhood every once in a while. Just try not to make it after sundown next time. You never know what might be lurking around out there at night."  
  
Mori reached into his bag and pulled out a thermos.  
  
"Don't get me wrong," he continued, "I can take care of myself just fine, but I'd rather not have a confrontation if I can avoid it, you know?"  
  
Mori twisted off the top of the thermos, placed it upside down on the small coffee table before Tsi, and then poured the green fluid inside of the thermos into the tiny cup.  
  
"Here," said Mori, "drink this and you should feel much better."  
  
Tsi grasped the cup and raised it to his lips. As he drank from it, he nearly choked due to the elixir's bitter taste.  
  
"Now make sure you drink all of it," said Mori.  
  
When Tsi was done drinking, he could feel an intense tingling sensation filter its way throughout his entire body. As it did, Tsi was surprised to witness everything down to even the deepest of his wounds become nothing more than a few simple scratches.  
  
The speed at which Tsi had regenerated completely baffled him. He had never witnessed such magic, even during his training as a Terrian. He looked up at Mori and asked, "What is this stuff?"  
  
Mori answered, "Actually, I can't pronounce the name, so I just call it Green Elixir."  
  
Tsi stumbled as he tried to stand up.  
  
"Careful," said Mori, "Green Elixir heals wounds, but it won't restore your stamina. That's going to take a good night's sleep."  
  
Then Tsi turned his head to look at Mina as she stood up beside him.  
  
"A bath wouldn't hurt, either," she said, "and I could have those cloths mended for you by morning."  
  
"While she's doing that," said her father, "I have some cloths that I think will fit you, if you don't mind wearing a Miner's clothing."  
  
Tsi wore a blushing smile as he said, "Dare I say no?" and then laughed.  
  
"Shu," continued the old man, "go prepare the guest bed for our friend."  
  
Shu responded, "Yes, sir!" and then ran into the back of the house.  
  
"I'll prepare your bath," said Mina, and then she moved on to do so.  
  
"Well then," said Mori, "I'd better be getting back home before it gets too late."  
  
"I actually have the day off tomorrow," said the old man, "so maybe I'll pay you a visit."  
  
Mori responded, "That'd be great. You and I have a lot to catch up on. It'd do us good to get together and talk."  
  
"So, tomorrow then?" asked the old man.  
  
"I'll look forward to it," answered Mori.  
  
The two friends said their goodbyes, and then Mori headed home. 


	6. Return

**RETURN**  
  
Tsi took his bath, and settled into bed. He felt exhausted from his travels and was able to fall asleep quite easily. He awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of a swinging window smacking up against its sill. He got out of bed and took hold of the window, but did not close it. Instead, he found himself leaving it open as he climbed out of the window and onto the roof.  
  
Meanwhile, Mina had Tsi's outfit, fully restored and neatly folded, next to her bed. She too was asleep until she heard a noise coming from the roof and decided to investigate. When she got to the roof, she came to find Tsi, sitting by himself with Stratos propped up against his shoulder and his arms around the sheath.  
  
"Tsi?" she said, curiously, "What are you doing up here?"  
  
"I'm sorry," answered Tsi, sadly, "I was just thinking about Myet."  
  
Mina crawled up to him, settled onto her knees, and crossed her hands in her lap.  
  
"For so long," Tsi continued, "I had always imagined what it may have been like to return to my village after completing my pilgrimage. The looks on my friends' faces when I came walking back into town. How I might have felt seeing my house again after being away from it for so long. Now, it's not even there anymore. All my friends, everyone I ever knew, everything that made me call that place home is all gone now."  
  
"What about your parents?" asked Mina, "Were they killed in the attack, too?"  
  
"No," answered Tsi, "my parents were dead long before the attack on Myet."  
  
"Oh!" exclaimed Mina, covering her mouth as she did, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."  
  
"It's alright," said Tsi, reassuringly cutting her off, "I don't really remember them. I lived at the orphanage for most of my life, until I began my training in the art of Terria, and I had to start living on my own."  
  
"Why's that?" asked Mina.  
  
"Well, you see," explained Tsi, "not everyone can become a Terrian. You have to be born with a certain gift that will let you undergo the four-year training course, and that includes supporting yourself. Once you have finished your training, you are allowed to enter a tournament that, if you win, will let you become a full-fledged Terrian warrior, and begin your pilgrimage to become one in its prime."  
  
Tsi looked up at the moon with a gaze that left a feeling of pity in Mina's heart as she looked into the sad eyes of the young Terrian. His blank, blue eyes were illuminated in the light of the moon. As Mina stared into those eyes, she felt the pain of one who had lost everything that proved that they had lived, as if her very soul itself was dieing.  
  
"Gill," began Tsi, "we had been best friends since the day I came to the orphanage. We always dreamt of growing up and becoming the greatest Terrian warriors who ever lived. When we became friends, it was almost like I'd found a long-lost brother, and it made being alone a little bit easier for the both of us."  
  
Tsi looked back down as his eyes began to tear up.  
  
"Gill..." he said, "He died in my arms that night. How am I supposed to become a warrior if I can't even save my best friend?"  
  
"Tsi," said Mina, sympathetically, and then the two stood in complete silence.  
  
As Tsi dried his tears, Mina noticed a group of men, their lanterns burning brightly, approaching the house. Mina and Tsi quickly made their way to the bottom floor. Mina opened the front door to discover that the men, surprisingly, were miners.  
  
"Mina," began one of the miners, "we need to speak with your father. It's an emergency."  
  
"Hold on," answered Mina, "I'll go get him."  
  
Mina ran into the house, and came back with her father.  
  
"What's going on, men?" he asked.  
  
"Sorry to wake you, Chief," began the miner "but something's happened down at the mines."  
  
"What's happened?" asked the old man.  
  
"It's the miners working the late shift, sir," began another miner, "they've been attacked by some kind of monster."  
  
"It was huge!" exclaimed another, "It devoured an entire mining car before it had even been emptied! On top of that, it's already killed many of the night-shifters!"  
  
Tsi thought, "That doesn't sound like a natural creature."  
  
He stepped forward and asked the miners, "What did this thing look like?"  
  
The miner who first spoke stepped forward to describe the creature, "It was big, at least ten feet tall. It walked on all fours, and its feet were covered in these enormous claws. It also had these tentacle-looking things growing out of its head that were strong enough to pick up and throw one of our mining drills."  
  
"That's definitely not normal," said Mina.  
  
"No, it's not," replied Tsi, sternly.  
  
"What should we do, Chief?" asked another miner.  
  
"I'm not sure," answered the old man.  
  
"Let me go, sir," asked Tsi, "Whatever that thing is, it's dangerous and needs to be dealt with."  
  
"Are you saying you can kill it?" asked Mina's father.  
  
"Yes," answered Tsi, his face showing his determination.  
  
"No!" exclaimed Mina, "You haven't fully recovered, yet. It's too dangerous! Let the armed forces handle it."  
  
One of the miners spoke up, "They already tried. It completely wiped them out!"  
  
Mina's face told that she was very worried at this point.  
  
Tsi looked at her and said, "Look, if this thing is anything like what attacked Myet, then I may be the only one who can stop it."  
  
Tsi looked at Mina. He could tell that she didn't want him to go.  
  
Tsi then turned to Mina's father and asked him, "Where are these mines located?"  
  
The old man answered, "At the base of the eastern cliffs, on the edge of the forest."  
  
Tsi turned back to Mina and asked, "Where did you put the Green Elixir?"  
  
Mina reluctantly answered, "In a glass vile, in the spice rack up above the stove."  
  
Tsi recovered the vile, changed into his old cloths, and then started down the road.  
  
As he ran from the house, Mina ran out after him.  
  
"Tsi!" she called out, "Be careful!"  
  
Mina looked on as Tsi slowly began to disappear from sight.  
  
"I hope he comes back, alive," she thought, and then Tsi was gone.  
  
Tsi quickly made his way through the forest to the mines. When he arrived, there was no site of the creature that the miners had spoken of. However, the bodies of its victims were clearly visible, as well as scattered all over the mining site. Tsi could smell the stench of dead flesh all around him, and it nearly made him gag. He tried to ignore the wreaking odor and looked around for the beast that he was hunting.  
  
He said to himself, "Gees, you'd think when something's ten feet tall, it'd be easy to find."  
  
Then, as if to answer Tsi, a hideous roar erupted from the inside of the mine. Tsi heard the wicked sound and ducked behind a wrecked mining drill. He looked deeply into the tunnel, and could see the creature as it slowly emerged from the darkness to reveal itself.  
  
The beast shook the earth as it walked out onto the mining site. Its skin was as black as night, and it shimmered in the light of the moon. Its head was triangular and seemed to be completely devoid of eyes. The two portions of the head were curved inward and sharpened at the ends, almost like a turtle's beak, and its mouth opened up to reveal a layer of bright yellow internal tissue.  
  
Tsi examined the creature further and noticed a pod-like structure located in the center of the creature's back. A mass of what could only be described as fluid-tentacles protruded from this structure, wrapped themselves around a large mass of the ore that had been dug out from the mines, and placed it into the beast's mouth where it was swallowed whole.  
  
"I don't believe it," Tsi said to himself, "It's actually eating the minerals that had been mined here."  
  
As curious as Tsi was, it was time to stop studying this creature, and start fighting it. For while he was examining this bizarre being, Tsi could hear a rustle in the grass behind him that let him know something was approaching him at a speed that his instincts told him wasn't friendly. He quickly turned around to find two of the black tentacles going straight for his face. He got out of the way immediately after they tried to strike. Tsi was now out in the open, and that's when the beast directed a roar toward him.  
  
"That's impossible!" Tsi thought, "That thing doesn't even have eyes! How was it able to launch a sneak attack like that?"  
  
Tsi then found himself dodging another attack from behind as the creature attempted to ensnare the young warrior in its tentacles. He used an energy wave to fend them off, and when he did, they began to thrash around, wildly.  
  
"That's strange," he thought.  
  
Tsi then turned around to see the creature stomp one foot into the ground. He felt the earth tremble beneath his feet as the beast 'looked' at him, and then shot more black tentacles his way.  
  
Tsi ran toward the monster, slashing the tentacles as he made his way through the protruding mass. He came face-to-face with his opponent for a moment before it shot another tentacle at Tsi. Tsi jumped up into the air, performed a 180 flip over the creature, and then came down with his sword slashing the back of one of its hind legs. However, his attack proved useless as the sword merely emitted a series sparks off the creature's skin, as if it were made out of solid steel.  
  
In Tsi's state of surprise, the creature took three of its tentacles and knocked him across the clearing into a mineral transport, indenting its armor on impact. An intense pain shot through Tsi's body, but he had no time to dwell on it. Instead, he dodged the three tentacles used to throw him as they shot straight for him. They pierced the armor of the transport, and then flung themselves upward, tearing through the armor as if it were made of paper. Tsi turned to the side, dodging the tentacles with just enough room between them for him to feel the breeze come off of them as they swept by his face.  
  
The three tentacles swiped at Tsi. He dodged the first two attacks, and then slashed all three tentacles. He jumped out of the way as more were shot toward him.  
  
"If I could just figure out how it's following me," he thought to himself, "then I might be able to find a way to beat it."  
  
The creature shot more of its black tentacles at Tsi.  
  
"How the hell can this thing have so many?" he asked himself.  
  
As they were about to strike him, Tsi launched another wave of energy form his blade. Again, once it collided with the deadly mass, the tentacles thrashed around aimlessly before retreating into the pod on the creature's back. Tsi noticed the beast stomp its foot into the ground again.  
  
"That's it!" he thought to himself, "It must be able to sense the vibrations I make when I move, and when I use my energy attack, it gets confused and it can't find me!"  
  
Now things were starting to look up.  
  
"Alright," Tsi said to himself, "since I can't penetrate its hide, it looks like that pod is my only option."  
  
The beast shot its tentacles at Tsi. Tsi immediately countered with a wave attack and began to run toward the beast.  
  
"Wait for it..." he thought to himself, and then, when the creature stomped its foot into the ground, Tsi leaped high into the air. He positioned himself over the pod, and then came down with the blade of his sword pointed downward. He drove it into the opening in the top of the pod, and the creature cried out in pain as its legs quickly grew weak and its body began to give way.  
  
"Gotch'a," said Tsi, but his moment of triumph didn't last long. As soon as he attempted to extract his sword, it was ensnared in the beast's tentacles, along with himself.  
  
"Uh oh," he said to himself, nervously, "I'm starting to think this wasn't such a good idea."  
  
Tsi struggled to escape the creature's hold, but it was too strong. The tentacles had cocooned his entire body and began to take hold of his face.  
  
"Oh no," Tsi thought, "Is this it? Am I going to die?"  
  
Suddenly, an illuminated, orange sphere shot out from among the trees and shredded the cocoon, allowing Tsi to dislodge his sword and jump to safety. He turned around to see a woman. She was tall, blonde, and had elf-ears.  
  
When Tsi saw this woman, she was charging another blast between her hands. She launched it directly at the creature, and when it hit, sent it flying backward, landing near the entrance to the mine.  
  
"Hurry!" shouted the elf, "The top of the shaft!"  
  
Tsi looked up above the shaft and realized what she meant. He immediately launched another wave at the rocks above the shaft, dislodging a series of boulders that came crashing down on top of the beast, burying it. It let out one last roar, and then lay dead beneath the rocks.  
  
Tsi turned around to face his new ally.  
  
"You saved my life," he said to her, "I don't know how to thank..."  
  
Tsi's words were sharply cut off when the elf smashed her fist into the top of his head, leaving a giant lump.  
  
"Stupid!" yelled the elf.  
  
"What's the big idea, lady!" responded Tsi, angrily, "I almost bit my tong off!"  
  
"Because, dumbass!" responded the elf, pointing in the direction of the town, "While you've been sitting here, LOSING, that town's been under attack!"  
  
Tsi looked on to see a red glow rise up over the forest.  
  
"Oh no!" exclaimed the Terrian, "Mina, Shu, they're all in trouble!"  
  
Tsi then started to dash toward the red glow.  
  
"Hey!" shouted the elf, "Wait for me!"  
  
The two of them made their way back to Loru to discover that it was overrun by a demon horde much like that which attacked Myet. These demons were very similar to the ones from Myet, but their bodies had definitely been altered since last Tsi encountered them. They also seemed more organized than the others, not so out of control. They hunted in groups, and also seemed to be able to communicate with each other.  
  
Amidst the flames that were now Loru, Mori, as well as a small group of children, had been backed into a corner. Mori stood strong, as he showed no fear to these monsters. He was holding a large object, wrapped up in a beige tarp.  
  
"Foul creatures!" Yelled the old walan, "I will not let you harm these innocents! Leave this place at once, or I promise you, I will deal you all a bitter demise!"  
  
The demons simply snarled at Mori as the walan lowered his gaze.  
  
"Then you leave me no choice," he said.  
  
Mori took to the large object wrapped in the tarp. He removed it to reveal an enormous axe. In size, the weapon rivaled him. He threw the tarp to the side, and with a roaring battle cry, and a look in his eyes that would make even the devil shudder, he charged toward his demonic quarry.  
  
Mori took hold of his mighty axe, and with a single swipe, cut three of the demons completely in half. Two more of them tried to pounce on Mori from behind. The mighty walan killed one of them, simply by smashing it with the side of his axe. He then grabbed the other by its neck, exhaled, and then snapped it.  
  
Mori turned to the other three demons that were left out of the group. They took one last look at him, and then ran off.  
  
Afterward, Tsi and his Elven friend came to Mori's side.  
  
"Mori," began Tsi, "I'm glad you're alright. Do you know where Mina and the others are?"  
  
"Yeah," answered Mori, "They and the other townspeople are inside the shelter."  
  
That's when the group was startled by a great voice that echoed through the sky.  
  
"Tsi!" shouted the voice, "I know you're here, Terrian! Stop hiding like a coward and face me!"  
  
"That's the hooded man that attacked Myet," said Tsi, "How did he find me here?"  
  
"Tsi!" shouted the hooded man, "You will not escape me again, boy! I will find you, and when I do, I will show you no mercy!"  
  
"He's not going to stop until I show myself," said Tsi.  
  
"Tsi," replied Mori, "I want to help you, but I have to get these children to safety."  
  
"That's ok," answered Tsi, "You take care of them, I'll handle things here."  
  
"Alright," answered Mori, "Good luck, Tsi. Don't get yourself killed."  
  
"I won't," answered Tsi, and then Mori took the children away.  
  
Tsi turned to his Elven friend.  
  
"You ready for this?" he asked.  
  
The elf nodded and the two departed for the center of the town.  
  
Tsi and his Elven companion made their way into the town's square. Tsi jumped up onto a pile of rubble and drew his sword.  
  
"Hooded man!" he shouted, "I'm here!"  
  
The hooded man was suspended in the air as he looked down upon Tsi.  
  
"Ah," began the hooded man, "Finally, you have decided to show yourself."  
  
"Who are you!?" asked Tsi.  
  
"My name is none of your concern, since you are not going to live long enough to remember it!"  
  
The hooded man used the same technique as he did in Myet. This time, however, his attack did not go through, for as it landed, Tsi was unharmed and surprised to see his Elven friend emitting a barrier around them both.  
  
"What!?" exclaimed the hooded man, "Elven witch! What have you done!?"  
  
"The name's Celcia," responded the elf as she showed a confidant grin, "and I believe I just kicked your ass to the curb!"  
  
The hooded man growled at Celcia before composing himself.  
  
"Alright," he began, "If it is the last thing you wish to know, before you die, I suppose I can grant you your request. I actually don't have a birth name, so you may simply call me Talon."  
  
"Talon," uttered Tsi, "Why did you attack Myet?"  
  
"Foolish child," answered Talon, "you're barely worthy enough to even be a part of my actions, let alone receive an explanation for them."  
  
"PLEASE tell me he didn't just say that," replied Celcia.  
  
"'Fraid he did," responded Tsi, a sweat drop appearing over both of their heads.  
  
"Silence!" shouted Talon, "You've escaped me once, but mark my words, it will not happen again, Terrian!"  
  
"Trust me, Talon," replied Tsi, "I'm not running away, but when I get threw with you you'll wish you would have!"  
  
"Well then," responded Talon, "why don't we get started!"  
  
The battle started off with a bang as Tsi and Celcia dodged a wave shot from Talon. Talon's assault was answered by one of Tsi's energy waves, which was blocked, and then countered by another of Talon's attacks. The battle raged on in just the same manner as the roaring fires burned their skin, threatening to feed on the dead corpses of those who would fall in this battle. One fighter's attack was countered by that of another in a seemingly endless chain of events.  
  
Talon directed another wave shot at Celcia, which she managed to narrowly avoid. This gave Tsi the opening he needed in order to make his move. He jumped up onto the top of a house and ran along the edge of each building's rooftop until he was at the same altitude as Talon.  
  
Tsi leaped off of the top of the building toward his air-borne adversary. Talon turned around, surprised to see the Terrian flying toward him. Tsi looked into Talon's eyes, and then lifted his sword onto his shoulder.  
  
"Now you **DIE**!" Tsi shouted, and then he slashed Talon, the sword, Stratos cutting cleanly through the hooded man.  
  
All that was left of Talon after the final blow was dealt was his head, his left arm, and the half of his chest that connected them. But even those few body parts were able to stay alive, if even just barely.  
  
Tsi and Celcia stood over the dieing Talon. The half-dead assassin that had destroyed Myet could only manage to cough out the words as he spoke.  
  
"This isn't over, Tsi," said Talon, "Mark my words, you're going to pay for this."  
  
"Excuse me?" replied Celcia, "I don't know if you've noticed, but half of you is lying half dead on the ground with no more of your little demon friends to come to you're rescue. If you asked, I'd say you look pretty done to me, pal."  
  
"Foolish girl," replied the dieing Talon, "I hate to disappoint you, but I am not the center of this campaign. I have a master whose power makes mine look like a mellow breeze."  
  
"What!" exclaimed Tsi, "Who? Who's your master!?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry," answered Talon "you'll find out soon enough, and when you do, you're going to wish you were lying here instead of me, Terrian."  
  
Just then, Talon's head made a motion that signaled a dramatic change in his vitality. He began to gasp as if he was choking, and then fell silent as his mask became completely black, and his body turned to dust before it blew away into the wind.  
  
"Wow, Tsi," said Celcia, "just who did you piss off anyway?"  
  
"I don't know," answered Tsi, "but I have a feeling this all has something to do with the sword, Stratos."  
  
Tsi turned to Celcia to confront her.  
  
"Which reminds me," he began "who are you? Where'd you come from? How did you find me? How do you know who I am? And why are you helping me?"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" exclaimed Celcia, "Calm down, pal, and I'll tell you!"  
  
Celcia cleared her throat before speaking.  
  
"My name is Celcia," began the elf, "and I am the elder of all elves. I know who you are because you were shown to me through a spell in an ancient book I possess."  
  
"A book?" asked Tsi.  
  
"Mmm hmm," answered Celcia, "You see, Tsi, that sword your wielding has a lot more significance in the world of magic than you might think, and since neither me, or anyone else wants to end up back in that little Hell hole that the second guy who had that sword put us all in, I've made it my personal responsibility to follow you around and make sure you don't screw up, or die along the way."  
  
A sweat drop appeared over Tsi's head as he answered plainly, "Gee, thanks Celcia. You're so caring."  
  
Both Tsi and Celcia looked up at the towering flames and a sweat drop appeared over both of their heads as they realized that they had surprisingly forgotten about them.  
  
"You wouldn't happen to have a spell to put this fire out handy, would you?" asked Tsi.  
  
"I'm an elf, not a genie," answered Celcia, and then they both sighed as their heads sunk in unison.  
  
The next morning, when the fires had all been put out, Tsi stood before the town's people after he and Celcia prepared to make their leave.  
  
"Everyone," began Tsi, "I can't begin to tell you how deeply sorry I am. You're town was destroyed and It was all because of me."  
  
"Don't worry about it, m'boy," said an unfamiliar voice.  
  
Then, a very short man wearing a suit and a top hat stepped forward from the crowd.  
  
"I'm sorry," began the short man, "Where are my manners? My name is Milo, and I'm the Mayor here in Loru."  
  
"Sir," began Tsi, "I don't know what to say..."  
  
"It's quite alright, Tsi," continued Milo, "We know that those demons were here for you and that they attacked our village because you were here."  
  
The entire assembly fell over on its face.  
  
"But," continued Milo, "we also know that you are the one that got rid of them. Because of you, our children were kept safe, and for that, we are grateful."  
  
Tsi smiled when he heard those words. Celcia smiled as well.  
  
"Thank you," said Tsi, "But I had a lot of help from the friends I made here. For that, I am grateful."  
  
"And as for Loru," continued the Mayor, "we are a strong town. We will rebuild the homes destroyed in time."  
  
Tsi nodded in acknowledgment and looked over at Mina and her family. Mori was there as well, standing next to their father. Tsi walked over to the shorter girl and looked down at her.  
  
"Mina," began Tsi, "I especially owe a dept to you. If you and your family hadn't taken care of me, I probably wouldn't even be here right now. Thank you, Mina."  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed the young Shu, holding his mango, "What about me? I helped too!"  
  
Tsi laughed in amusement. "Thank you too, Shu. You were a big help."  
  
Shu smiled as Tsi put his hand on the young boys head.  
  
"Are you sure you can't stay a little while longer?" asked the glossy-eyed Mina.  
  
"I'm sorry," answered Tsi, "but it's not safe for me to stay here anymore. You understand, don't you?"  
  
Mina reluctantly nodded her head.  
  
"Well then," she began, "make sure you come back when it **_is_** safe, ok."  
  
"It's a promise," said Tsi, smiling.  
  
"Take care of yourself, Tsi," said Mina's father.  
  
"I will," answered Tsi.  
  
"Here," said Mori presenting Tsi with another vile, "make sure not to use it all up too soon. Green Elixir isn't easy to come by."  
  
"Thank you, Mori," said Tsi, and the two shook hands.  
  
Tsi turned away from the Cheng family, gestured to Celcia that it was time to leave, and then they both disembarked on what was without a doubt going to be a long journey. The town's people gave Tsi and Celcia the grandest farewell they possibly could as the two of them walked away, and though it didn't completely take his mind off of what was actually happening, it did give Tsi a slight moment of peace.  
  
The Terrian warrior and the Elven elder walked away from Loru with a new mission. Dark powers were after Tsi. They would seek out those powers and ultimately destroy them. No matter how long it took, Tsi made a vow to seek revenge for the death of his friends, and when a Terrian makes a vow of revenge, that is one vow that never goes undone. 


	7. Lake

**LAKE  
**  
The forest was quieting down now as the sun began to set. The creatures of the day were abandoning their forest to the denizens of the night, with the sun's red glow signaling their wake. Soon, for a moment, for a very precious moment, the forest would fall into a state of complete and utter silence, preparing for its transition into the world of darkness. But tonight, this peace got broken into a million little pieces by an extremely winy voice, so damn loud that it made the birds fly for dear life.  
  
"Tsiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" shouted Celcia, her voice echoing throughout the forest, "Come ON! We've been walking through this forest for HOURS without even so much as stopping to catch our breath! I need a BREAK!"  
  
Tsi cast a frustrated look at Celcia and sighed.  
  
"Alright," he said, annoyed, "It's going to be dark soon, anyway."  
  
Celcia and Tsi set up camp and started a fire. Celcia sat on a boulder and rubbed her feet. They were aching and swollen from all of the walking she had been doing.  
  
"How is it that you can walk for so long and not even get hungry?" asked the exhausted elf, "It's insane! I know you're a Terrian and everything but come on!"  
  
"You forget," answered Tsi, setting the firewood down, "on top of being injured, I had to walk for three days without even a day's worth of food. Stopping to rest wasn't exactly the first thing on my mind."  
  
"Are you sure you're human?" asked Celcia, sarcastically.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder," answered Tsi, humorously.  
  
Tsi set his backpack down and took three metal, rod-like objects out of the side pocket before sitting down by the campfire. Both he and Celcia drew close to the roaring fire. The night air was cold, and the heat of the flames felt good.  
  
Celcia looked up at Tsi and asked, "So, what's for dinner?"  
  
Tsi assembled a six-foot skewer out of the three rods as he answered, "I'll tell you when I catch it."  
  
"Catch it?" asked the confused Celcia, "You do know we have food in our backpacks, right?"  
  
Tsi stood up as he answered, hoisting a woven sac over his shoulder, "Everything in there is too small to make a meal out of, and I doubt you only want to eat sandwiches and fruit for dinner."  
  
"Point taken," replied Celcia, an embarrassed grin on her face.  
  
"But if you want," continued Tsi, "maybe you could fix up some sort of side- dish while I'm gone."  
  
"Uh," replied Celcia, nervously, "Ok."  
  
"Cool," answered Tsi, turning to leave, "I should be back before too long. Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone."  
  
"Hey," said Celcia, defensively, "I believe I was the one keeping YOU out of trouble back in Loru, Blue Dragon Boy."  
  
Tsi laughed under his breath as he walked away from camp. Celcia opened up her backpack and looked unconfidently at the small rations inside.  
  
"Well," she said to herself, "If I can juggle thwarting villains, stripping elves and dealing with that idiot, Junpei, surely I can handle something as simple as making a side-dish, right?"  
  
Tsi made his way through the trees, looking for anything edible that may have been sneaking around in the dark. Though his reasons for being there were simply to catch his next meal, he couldn't help but admire his surroundings as he walked through that haunting place. The forest, though dangerous, was also very beautiful at night. The sounds the forest made while enveloped in the darkness made it seem as if the forest itself was a creature of the night, greeting the moon with a series of chirps, howls, and other mystifying sounds. The wind ran it's cold, gentle fingers through the trees, and for a moment, though short, it made Tsi feel as if his presence there was no more than insignificant.  
  
As Tsi walked through the dark world that was now the forest, he came to a small but beautiful lake, illuminated in the light of the moon. "Wow," said the young Terrian, astonished by the sheer majesty of the aquatic jewel before him. The small body of water lay before a tall cliff of which the water from a greater body ran off of the edge and fed the child lake that rested beneath it.  
  
"Hey!" exclaimed Tsi, "You know what? I'd bet my belt there's some fish in here! That'd go great with anything Celcia might make!"  
  
Sure enough, there were fish. Tsi noticed one of them leap up out of the water and he immediately set his sac up to where it would work as a type of basket. Tsi slowly walked out into the lake and stood deadly still as he waited for his opportune moment. He stood and would continue to stand for as long as it took for his prey to make itself known.  
  
Finally, a fish began to wander over to Tsi's side. Tsi saw the fish and continued to wait. It was almost close enough that he would be able to catch it. He stood still as a statue as he watched the fish, inch-by-inch, draw nearer to him. The fish flicked its fin one last time, and Tsi stabbed his skewer into the water, impaling the fish before he lifted it out and tossed it into the sac. The fish jumped around inside the sac, which, being big enough to hold a large deer, was much too deep for it to escape.  
  
Tsi turned back to the lake and waited for another fish to swim his way. Shortly after, another fish did. He watched it closely and waited once again, but the fish noticed him and snapped back around. Tsi then shot his skewer into the water in hopes to catch the fish before it could swim away. He missed and had instead driven his skewer into the soil, and instead of the sound of a dip and a splash, he heard the most high-pitched scream he had ever heard in his life.  
  
Tsi was greatly surprised and a little frightened to find that what he had stabbed his skewer into was actually the tentacle of something much, much bigger. The tentacle whipped itself away from Tsi and back into the lake with such speed that it not only made Tsi lose his grip on his skewer, but also made it dislodge itself from the tentacle and fall into the water. Tsi fallowed the movements of the dark gray extremity as it rose from the lake and whipped around in the air over the head of something that was beginning to make its presence there much more known.  
  
As Tsi examined the strange apparition, he was caught off-guard when the entire lake came alive as all of the beast's tentacles dislodged themselves from the submerged soil and lashed around wildly. By this time, the creature's head was visible. In the center of all its tentacles was one, enormous, golden eye that was shaped like an arch and was lined in blue flesh. Beneath this eye was the beast's mouth, the same shape as its eye, and filled with many, long, sharp teeth.  
  
Those teeth didn't worry Tsi as much as the number of tentacles flying around all over the lake. Not only were there more than he could count, but they all lashed around in such a way that it made it very hard for Tsi to fallow them.  
  
Tsi armed Stratos and waited for the first assault. It came to him in the form of a large, gray tentacle followed by an angry roar. The tentacle met Tsi's blade and it was instantly sliced off as the beast screamed in pain, emitting a sound that reminded Tsi of an angry wind. The creature launched two more tentacles toward Tsi and they were both sheered off by Stratos' blade.  
  
Tsi was having a very hard time keeping track of where each tentacle was. If only this creature knew that he could not avoid an attack from all of its tentacles, Tsi would be in serious trouble.  
  
Two more tentacles came swiping at Tsi. Tsi cut them both off but was immediately trapped in the grasp of a third tentacle that had evaded his eye. Now Tsi really was in trouble. The tentacle lifted Tsi off of the ground by his foot and pulled him into the water. It pulled him deep below the lake's surface where Tsi noticed a large cluster of illuminated spheres. They lit up the bottom of the lake and Tsi witnessed a terrifying sight. The creature's head on the surface was only a small fraction of its full body, which was an extension that led to the bottom of the lake, and then spread out to cover the entire lake floor. Tsi looked a little closer to see a collection of skeletons amongst the glowing spheres, which, when also examined closer, were covered in transparent tendrils, and in the center of each, Tsi also noticed, was an eye.  
  
"Oh Hell no!" thought the young and now somewhat disturbed Terrian, "I am not going to be food for your ugly little kids!"  
  
Tsi struck the tentacle that bound him, cutting it off. When he did, he noticed a reaction in the main body of the creature. A section of it shivered for a moment when the tentacle was struck.  
  
"Ah hah!" thought Tsi, "Those must be the tentacles' roots! If I cut those, it won't be able to move!"  
  
A wise observation, but first, Tsi needed air. He knew that he wouldn't be able to swim to the surface in time. Those tentacles would probably capture him before he could, anyway, and that gave Tsi an idea.  
  
Tsi waited for another assault from his adversary. He didn't have to wait long before another one of the beast's tentacles moved through the water to try to ensnare him in its grasp. Tsi waited until the tentacle was close enough, and then he drove his sword as deeply into it as he possibly could. Tsi held tightly as the creature, crying out in pain, lifted him out of the water and began to thrash its tentacle around wildly until Tsi was able to dislodge Stratos and dive back down into the depths.  
  
Tsi swam down to where the creature's tentacles connected with its head. As he prepared to strike, however, he hesitated when he heard several movements through the water. He turned around to discover that the beast's young were swimming toward him in a swarm. Also, he had attacks from the creature's tentacles coming down on him. He first slashed away the tentacles before turning around and blasting the approaching swarm of lights. When that was done, Tsi quickly turned and began hacking away at the base of the creature's head. The tentacles that had been Tsi's bane the entire battle were made instantly harmless as they fell away from the beast and sank to the bottom of the lake.  
  
Tsi swam to the surface and stood in the shallows as what was left of his enemy screamed as it began to slowly sink into the lake. Watching the creature, Tsi had a very cold look in his eyes. It looked almost as if he had hated this creature all his life, yet he had never even seen it before. He didn't even know what to call this creature, riving in agony as it was.  
  
"The day I became a warrior was supposed to be the best day of my life," said Tsi, "and ever since then, it seems that whenever I'm able to put my mind at ease, something like you just so happens to show up, and because I'm the type that has to give a damn, I'm the one who has to be in charge of exterminating you."  
  
Tsi turned around to fully face his defeated foe.  
  
"And you know what?" the young Terrian asked immediately before kicking his skewer up out of the water, catching it in midair, and hurling it at the creature, impaling it through its golden eye as it cried out one last time before sinking completely into the water, "I'm really getting sick of it."  
  
Back at camp, Celcia, in her attempts to make a side dish out of sandwiches and apples somehow managed to end up making a hat. She had an extra-large sweat drop over her head as Tsi walked onto the campsite, startling her.  
  
"Oh! Uh..." said the elf, nervously, "Hi, Tsi! What took you so... Whoa! What the Hell's that!?"  
  
Celcia pointed at the tentacle wrapped around Tsi's shoulder. Tsi smiled and said, "I hope you like calamari." 


	8. Change

**CHANGE  
**  
Tsi and Celcia packed up camp and started on their way. It wasn't long, however, before Celcia wanted to stop again.  
  
"This is ridiculous," complained the frustrated elf, "Tsi, exactly why are you in such a hurry to get to Xangbec anyway?"  
  
"There's someone who lives there who might be able to help us," answered Tsi, "If our enemy figures that out, they may attack it next."  
  
"Don't you think it might be dangerous?" asked Celcia, "I mean, not only did they know the whereabouts of your home town, but they were also able to find you in Loru."  
  
"That's why we need to get in and out of Xangbec as quickly as possible," answered the young Terrian, "and besides, I don't think our enemies are able to track me everywhere I go. Otherwise, we'd be getting attacked in our sleep."  
  
"Maybe," said Celcia, "but if that's true, than why do you keep forcing me to trek on like this every day?"  
  
"You're the one who decided you were going to fallow me around," said Tsi, "I never forced you to do anything."  
  
Celcia made funny faces behind Tsi's back until both of them noticed an unpleasant scent in the air.  
  
"Ugh," said Tsi, disgusted, "what the Hell's that smell?"  
  
Tsi and Celcia made their way out of the trees to discover that the smell was coming from a number of hot springs.  
  
"Ooh!" shouted the starry-eyed Celcia, "I don't believe it! It's a hot spring!"  
  
"Celcia," began the young Terrian, "c'mon, we don't have time for..." and as Tsi began to walk away, an angry Celcia jumped up on his head and started pounding on it.  
  
"You listen to ME you ungrateful jackass!" shouted the elf, "I am taking a bath, and if you try to tell me no, I will rip out your tong and slap you with it! GOT ME!  
  
"Ow! Oww!! Owww!!!" shouted Tsi as the wild elf continuously beat into his skull, "Alright! Alright! You win! You win!"  
  
"I knew you'd see it my way," said Celcia, happily as she hopped off of Tsi's head, knocking him off of his feet, and began running toward the spring.  
  
Tsi, still sitting on the ground, rubbing his head, watched as Celcia began to undress, very surprised that she hadn't told him not to. He examined the elf's beautiful skin as the fabric of her dress glided across it like the calm wind over the earth. He then noticed a series of blue markings tattooed on Celcia's back. They resembled leopard spots, but they were different somehow, more exotic.  
  
The elf, realizing that Tsi was watching her, quickly covered up and shouted, "HEY! Turn around!"  
  
Tsi, startled, quickly turned away before asking, annoyed, "Well what exactly do you suggest I do?"  
  
"Go take a walk," responded the elf, now soaking in the spring, "You seem to like doing that."  
  
Tsi let out a frustrated sigh before getting up and answering, "Fine. Give me a holler when you're done," and then while he walked away, he said under his breath, "_**You**_ seem to like doing _**that**_."  
  
Celcia caught the remark, but chose to ignore it.  
  
Tsi walked around the place and admired the scenery. Though he tried not to, he couldn't help but keep thinking that it would have been much more enjoyable had that terrible smell not been there. He did eventually manage to find a place that hardly smelled at all, though. It was clear of any sort of obstruction. No rocks. No trees. Nothing but vast, flat soil, and the sun that hung over it.  
  
This place, Tsi realized, was also very high up. Here, he could see out into the mountains. They looked simply majestic beneath the cloudless sky, the sun bathing them in its radiant, glorious light, the mountains casting their shadows upon the land. These powerful Titans had been here long before Tsi was even thought of, and they would continue to display their awesome might for centuries after he was gone. Tsi bowed his head in his respect for these giants, and remained silent as to further display that respect.  
  
"Who are you?" asked the young Terrian, quite suddenly in fact.  
  
"Sorry if I interrupted something," answered an unfamiliar voice in a sarcastic tone.  
  
Tsi turned his head to see a young man with long, white hair and dog-ears. The tone of his voice also made Tsi become very aware of the sword strapped to the man's side.  
  
"My name is Inuyasha," said the man, "and I've been sent here to kill you."  
  
"Thought so," responded Tsi, standing up, "I don't suppose _**you're**_ going to tell me who's behind all this."  
  
"I'd rather just get this done quickly," replied Inuyasha, drawing his sword.  
  
The entire sword looked tattered to say the least. It was a katana, the blade covered in dents, and the handle poorly lined with leather.  
  
"Your not planning on fighting me with _**that**_, are you?" asked Tsi, sarcastically.  
  
"What?" replied Inuyasha, "Not intimidating enough for you? Alright then..."  
  
Inuyasha then swung his sword a single time, and when he did, a bright light shot its way from the sword's hilt to the end of its blade. As it did, the size of the blade increased enormously, and the Guard of the sword resembled a cloud.  
  
"How 'bout this?" asked the young assassin.  
  
"Well at least it looks better," mocked Tsi.  
  
Inuyasha laughed before answering, "That may be, but trust me, Tsi, the Tetsusaiga isn't a weapon that gets its fame from its beauty."  
  
"Where _**does**_ it get it, then?" asked Tsi.  
  
Inuyasha dashed toward Tsi, his Tetsusaiga armed.  
  
"How about I show you?!" shouted Inuyasha before slashing at Tsi.  
  
Tsi dodged the attack as Inuyasha's sword set the ground ablaze. He armed Stratos and began his assault on Inuyasha. The two swords of legend came in contact with one another and fire shot from them in a glorious display of power.  
  
"Heh," smirked Inuyasha, "not bad for a human."  
  
"Don't try to flatter me," snapped Tsi as they both broke away form each other.  
  
Tsi shot a wave at Inuyasha that was dodged as the assassin leaped into the air and brought his sword down on the Terrian warrior. Tsi countered with a slash from his own sword and moved away before Inuyasha could land his second assault.  
  
Tsi stood low to the ground as he spoke.  
  
"I'll admit one thing, half-demon," began Tsi, "you move pretty fast despite the size of that weapon."  
  
"So you know what I am?" replied Inuyasha.  
  
"I know what you are," answered Tsi, "and I also know that you've never fought a Terrian before."  
  
"What makes you think that?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Because," answered Tsi, "if you had, then you wouldn't be going so easy on me."  
  
Inuyasha looked confused as Tsi raised the sword, Stratos and held it out in front of him. The wind changed direction, and then Tsi chanted the words, "Oh great Goddess, Terria, hear my plea! Grant me hold over the earth and the air! Bestow me with the powers once wielded by your third son! Let me become, the guardian, Gemini!  
  
When Tsi spoke those words, it was as if the very wind had fled as the air became as still as death. A brilliant display of gold and white lights began to revolve around Tsi, increasing in number until he became completely hidden within the lights. The lights then shot themselves into Tsi's body, and he began to glow a soft, golden glow. His eyes, as well as the tips of his hair became a rich golden color, black scars ran down his cheeks from his eyes, and his body was coated in armor of black and gold. Even the sword, Stratos changed in ways similar to those that Tsi had undergone in his transformation into the guardian, Gemini.  
  
Inuyasha stood in aw at the sight of Gemini. He hadn't been told that Tsi could undergo such a change. He knew that this transformation couldn't have just been for looks, which Gemini was prepared to show him.  
  
Gemini started with a vertical slash that made the ground split as the energy from the attack scorched through the air. Inuyasha dodged this attack, only to be struck with another as Gemini confronted him head-on. Their swords met and Inuyasha was sent sliding backward from the impact. Gemini shot a golden beam from his hand that made the air quiver as it quickly flew across the battlefield. Inuyasha also managed to dodge this attack, but before he realized what was happening, Gemini had struck him down with a punch to his face that made the entire left side of Inuyasha's head turn red as the blood vessels burst beneath his skin.  
  
Though thrown by the attack, Inuyasha quickly regained his footing. His face burned from his affliction, and though both he and Gemini knew that he could not win if he continued to fight in this manner, Inuyasha was casting Gemini an evil grin.  
  
"Heheheheheh," the half-demon laughed, "Gemini, huh? It's quite clear to me now where you Terrians get your reputation. I'm obviously no match for you in this form..."  
  
Inuyasha wore a necklace of deep purple gemstones around his neck that suddenly began to pulsate when he said those words. The sky became black and the wind howled as Inuyasha's eyes began to glow an eerie, purple glow.  
  
"So how about..." began Inuyasha, "I take another."  
  
Gemini tried to attack Inuyasha in his state of what appeared to be vulnerability, only to be warded off by a dark power being emitted from Inuyasha's body.  
  
Inuyasha then spoke the words, "My dark master! Hear me! Grant me your power so that I may crush all those who oppose me! And infuse my body with the powers of darkness so that I may fulfill your glorious will!"  
  
An enormous bolt of lightning struck Inuyasha, causing Gemini to shield his eyes. When the electrical charge dispersed, Gemini looked on to see a transformed Inuyasha.  
  
Inuyasha's entire form had been changed. His skin was like ash, his eyes like slate. The left side of his face, as well as his torso, had become armored in a series of black spires that were intertwined with one another and branched away from his skin. His cloths, too had become black, and even his sword, the Tetsusaiga had become twisted in its infusion with the powers of darkness.  
  
Meanwhile, the Elven elder Celcia was still soaking in her hot spring. She was completely oblivious to Tsi's fight, listening to her CD player and imagining herself as the Queen of the world.  
  
"Hmm," said the elf, "I wonder what Tsi's doing right now."  
  
Gemini took the defensive as the half-demon, Inuyasha spoke to him.  
  
"Heheheheheheheheheheheh," laughed the assassin, "So, what do you think?"  
  
Gemini remained silent.  
  
"All business, huh?" asked Inuyasha, "All right then."  
  
Gemini and Inuyasha stood locked in each other's gaze. Neither one of them moved for a good thirty seconds. As soon as the wind stopped, the two warriors had at one another. The sound of their battle cries roared throughout the mountainside as their swords clashed in a heated battle that not even God would be able to predict.  
  
"He's fast," thought Gemini, "faster than I am. As strong as he is, his power isn't natural. I have to try and find the source or I'm done for."  
  
Gemini then took notice of Inuyasha's necklace. The stones around his neck hadn't stopped pulsating since the battle started.  
  
"Maybe..." thought Gemini as the battle came to a sudden halt.  
  
The two fighters stood facing each other in silence as the air stood still, their weapons armed.  
  
"I'm finishing this, Tsi," said Inuyasha, then the wind picked up and began to beat on the two fighters more than ever. Inuyasha then raised his sword over his head and shouted, "Behold Tetsusaiga's power!"  
  
The wind seemed to crash inward on itself as Inuyasha swung his sword and a flash of light of unrivaled brilliance shot from the Tetsusaiga and shredded everything in its wake. Gemini gasped as he watched the light tare through the earth, inevitably destroying all that lay before it, which included him if he didn't act quickly.  
  
Below, the now panicking Celcia was running naked through the hot springs, trying to avoid the boulders that were crashing down on top of her, screaming, "What the Hell's going on!?"  
  
As the shock wave dissipated, Inuyasha looked out onto the damage done by his attack. Huge slash marks stretched out for hundreds of feet before the half-demon.  
  
"Well," began Inuyasha, "guess he wasn't that strong, after all."  
  
The young assassin began to laugh when he heard a sound come from behind him. He turned to see Gemini over his head, ready to strike.  
  
"How the Hell!?" exclaimed the half-demon.  
  
Gemini slashed at Inuyasha's chest, severing the necklace around his neck. Gemini landed behind Inuyasha, crushing some of the stones that were now scattered all over the battlefield. He looked over his shoulder as Inuyasha cried out. A bright, purple light surrounded the half-demon as it shot into the sky. Inuyasha collapsed to his knees, and Gemini reverted back to his true form, Tsi.  
  
"Unh..." began Inuyasha, "What... Where, am I?"  
  
"Inuyasha?" addressed Tsi.  
  
"Huh!?" responded Inuyasha, looking back at Tsi, "Who are you? What's goin' on here?"  
  
"You don't remember?" asked the young Terrian.  
  
"Remember what?" replied the confused half-demon as he looked at the damage that plagued the battlefield.  
  
"The Wind Scar?" he asked himself, "When did I use the Wind Scar?"  
  
"What is this, some kind of trick?" asked Tsi.  
  
"What the Hell are you talkin' about?" responded Inuyasha, "What just happened here!?"  
  
"You... Well," began Tsi, "You tried to kill me, and then you stopped..."  
  
"Do you know how ridiculous that sounds!?" exclaimed the frustrated Inuyasha, "You're going to have to come up with a better story than that. I might be a demon, but I don't just go around killing random people."  
  
"Well," began Tsi, walking over, and then bending down to pick up one of the purple stones at his feet, "I know that once I cut these things off of you, you stopped fighting. Do you remember where you got them?"  
  
"Yeah, I do," answered Inuyasha, "It was after I'd slain a demon that was attacking this old couple. Their granddaughter gave it to me as a gift for saving them, and shortly afterward, I blacked out."  
  
"Some one must have used these stones to control you," replied Tsi, "That's got to be it."  
  
"Dammit!" exclaimed the furious half-demon, slamming his fist into the palm of his opposite hand, "Some body's gonna pay for this! Nobody uses ME as their puppet!"  
  
"Inuyasha," began Tsi, "I can't say for sure, but I think the person that tricked you is the same person who's trying to have me killed. If you and I joined forces, we'd both have a better chance at victory."  
  
"Hey, pal," answered Inuyasha, "I don't even know who you are. For all I know, you might be the guy who's behind this. Give me one good reason why I should trust you."  
  
"Well," began the young Terrian, "how about the fact that I could of killed you, and I didn't?"  
  
Inuyasha looked baffled at first, and then he noticed the wound across his chest.  
  
"All I had to do was aim three inches higher and I could have taken your head right off," explained Tsi, "and you might be half demon, Inuyasha, but I doubt you could survive being decapitated."  
  
Inuyasha paused before answering.  
  
"All right," he said, "I'm in. But I worn you, you try anything funny and I'll cut your throat open, got that!?"  
  
"Fine by me," answered Tsi.  
  
Inuyasha sheathed his sword, and then the two warriors started down the path that would lead them back to the hot springs.  
  
"By the way," said Inuyasha, "I just realized, I don't know your name."  
  
Tsi had almost answered Inuyasha's question when an unimaginably frightening voice suddenly echoed through the air, shouting, **"TSI!!!"  
**  
Tsi caught eye of the glowing orange sphere flying toward him and shouted to Inuyasha, "SHIT! Inuyasha, take cover!"  
  
The two warriors jumped to opposite sides to avoid the blast.  
  
"What is it!?" asked Inuyasha, "Is it a demon!?"  
  
"Worse!" answered Tsi, "A psychotic elf, and she's just been pissed off!"  
  
"Tsi!" shouted the furious, and very nude Celcia, ducking behind a rock and showering both Tsi and Inuyasha with magic spheres, "I don't care what your doing! You find my cloths right now or there's not going to be enough of you left for the enemy to kill!" 


	9. Terria

**TERRIA**  
  
With another day ended, and a new ally made (sort of), Tsi, Celcia and Inuyasha sat down in front of the campfire and feasted upon the freshly cooked deer that Inuyasha had had the courtesy to catch.  
  
"Thanks, Inuyasha!" said Celcia, "I gotta admit, you're a much better hunter than Tsi."  
  
"Don't get too thankful," answered Inuyasha, in his usual rude tone, "I'd rather you hunt your own food, but I can't eat all that deer and I'll be damned if it goes to waste."  
  
Tsi simply sat, quietly eating his meal. He was thinking deeply about what had gone on over the past week. He thought mostly about the sword, Stratos, and the seemingly endless attempts on his life. Whoever was after him, they had gone to some great lengths already to eliminate him, and he was worried about what his enemy's next move would be. Particularly, how many lives it would cost.  
  
"Hey Tsi," asked Celcia, suddenly, "you transformed into Gemini when you fought Inuyasha, right?"  
  
"Mm hmm," answered the young Terrian.  
  
"Well," continued the elf, "you clearly become a lot more powerful when you do, so why wait so long? How come you didn't do that back in Myet?"  
  
"Well," answered Tsi, putting his plate in his lap, "it's risky. When a Terrian changes into one of the twelve guardians, they become much stronger and overall better fighters, but there's a catch. You see, on top of using up a lot of energy, whenever a Terrian takes on a new form, a part of their soul is lost in the process. The reason why this is particularly dangerous is because there's no telling which part of their soul a Terrian will lose."  
  
"You serious?" asked the surprised Celcia.  
  
"Mm hmm," answered Tsi, "As a matter of fact, if a Terrian were to take on all twelve forms, their soul would be completely destroyed. They would become nothing more than an empty shell of their former self, and they would wander through existence without ever knowing their place."  
  
"Creepy," responded the elf.  
  
"Now I have a question," asked Inuyasha, "I hear that in order to be a Terrian, you have to be born a Terrian. Is that true?"  
  
"Mm hmm," answered Tsi, nodding his head.  
  
"Well, what's so special aboutch'a?" continued the curious half-demon, "You seem pretty much human to me."  
  
"Well," began Tsi, "legend has it that one day, thousands of years ago, the divine entity that many people called God became too heavily burdened by its two kingdoms. It foresaw the destruction of both kingdoms in the near future if it could not take strong hold of them soon. So, God split itself into two separate entities, the God, Mobia, and the Goddess, Terria. Mobia ruled over the heavens, while Terria ruled over the earth. This rule restored order to the kingdoms and brought balance back to them. When that was done and over with, Terria made haste to find what went so wrong that God would lose its hold on the earth in the first place. This is when she noticed the problem was in its people. I'm sure everyone here agrees that humans are imperfect beings, correct?"  
  
"No question about that" answered Inuyasha, crossing his arms.  
  
"Well," continued Tsi, "Terria found the humans to be too imperfect. So she decided to create a race of her own. Terria birthed six daughters and six sons, each one bestowed with power over one of the Earth's elements. **_They_** were the first Terrians."  
  
"So that's it?" asked Inuyasha, "She was gonna make the world a better place by givin' her kids powers? Please tell me that's not the end of it."  
  
"Your right," answered Tsi, "You see, because of their great power, the Terrians were also able to gain great influence, and eventually became leaders in the eyes of the people. They weren't just all talk like everyone else. They new what had to be done, and they had the power to do it. Crime disappeared, fear became a memory, and it finally looked like things were just going right for everyone."  
  
"But..." said Celcia, holding her bent legs as her head rested on her knees.  
  
"But," continued Tsi, "unfortunately, it couldn't last. One day, a terrible disaster came completely out of nowhere and threatened the lives of all who lived on this planet. The Terrians, their duty being to keep the planet safe, made the ultimate sacrifice to conquer that disaster. But, though their bodies were destroyed, their spirits survived and returned to Terria, and, through people like me, they still fulfill the task she gave them so many years ago. I am one of their descendants."  
  
"So that's it, huh?" asked Inuyasha.  
  
"Just about," answered Tsi, "There are a few differences between my generation and the originals, however. For one, Terrians don't necessarily become the guardians themselves as much as we just use their skills, and since we're technically only part Terrian, we can only sustain a single form for a short time. More skilled Terrians can hold a form for longer times, but I'm not at that level yet."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Celcia, abruptly, "If the Terrian trait is passed on genetically, then how come there are so few of you?"  
  
"Well," answered Tsi, "not only are there Terrians that haven't been discovered yet, but the gene is only passed on to the fifth generation, if at all."  
  
"So you're saying," began Inuyasha, "there're Terrians out there that don't even know what they are?"  
  
"Mm hmm," answered Tsi, "and with how hard it is to distinguish us from regular humans, some of us, if not most of us don't even get discovered."  
  
"Kind of like actors," said a perky Celcia.  
  
"Or good voice dubbers," responded Inuyasha, calmly.  
  
"Wow," Tsi thought, "Inuyasha has a sense of humor. Who'd of thought?"  
  
"Actually," said Tsi, "Terrians are becoming even more rare with each generation, and I can't help but wonder, when were all gone, are the people of this planet going to mess things up again, or will they have finally learned a better way to live?"  
  
"Don't get your hopes up," responded Inuyasha, "Humans are so afraid of change, it's ridiculous. God forbid they ever try to care about one another."  
  
"Aw," replied Celcia, "c'mon, Inuyasha, you gotta give the humans a little credit. After all, they've managed to last this long."  
  
"Yeah," snapped Inuyasha, "with the help of a Goddess. Some feet of development _**that**_ is."  
  
Tsi stood up and set his plate down.  
  
"Night guys," said the young Terrian as he walked over to his backpack.  
  
"Yeah," replied Inuyasha, plainly as he lied down on his side, set his head on his palm and shut his eyes.  
  
Tsi set up his sleeping bag, lied down in it, and fell asleep.  
  
Celcia stayed up for a little while. She thought, "Maybe the humans aren't the greatest of God's creatures, but there are still those that are at least a little decent. Like that girl from Loru, Mina, and her family as well."  
  
Suddenly the image of Junpei entered Celcia's mind.  
  
"Then again," she said to herself, a sweat-drop over her head, "There are _**some**_ exceptions." 


End file.
